Flight Software Engineer

terranorbitalcorporation; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) Match

Flexible Time Off

Education Reimbursement

Parental leave

Swag

Job summary

Terran Orbital in Irvine, CA is seeking an experienced Flight Software Engineer to design, develop, and maintain mission‑critical software that controls our satellites and enables on‑orbit operations. You will work across the full software lifecycle with hands‑on hardware, simulators, and a multidisciplinary team.

Candidates bring 2+ years of C++ embedded experience, real‑time systems, and strong problem solving.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 2+ years of experience developing C++ applications for embedded, real‑time, or safety‑critical systems (Level II).
• Strong understanding of embedded software concepts such as memory management, concurrency, and real‑time constraints.
• Highly motivated, self‑directed, and able to operate effectively in a fast‑moving team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship with eligibility to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain flight software for guidance, navigation, control, and payload operations.
• Develop software for diverse payloads including imaging systems and sensors.
• Write unit, integration, and regression tests for flight code.
• Integrate software across simulators, HIL, EDUs, and flight hardware.
• Collaborate with systems engineering and avionics to define interfaces.
• Support on‑orbit commissioning and early satellite operations.
• Improve development processes, CI/CD, coding standards, and docs.

Skills

C++ embedded

Real-time systems

Memory management

Concurrency

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/EE/Aerospace

Tools

ARM processors

Texas Instruments

Linux

GNU toolchains (Make/GCC/GDB)

Job description

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you're not just part of the system - you're a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation's defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you're driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you'll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let's redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Flight Software Engineer to join our growing and fast‑paced spacecraft development team. Reporting to the Flight Software Engineering Manager , you will design, develop, test, and maintain the mission‑critical software that controls our satellites and ensures successful spacecraft operations in orbit.

You will contribute across the full spacecraft software lifecycle-from requirements definition and architecture through on‑orbit commissioning and operations. This role offers the opportunity to work hands‑on with real spacecraft hardware, simulation environments, and a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain flight software modules responsible for guidance, navigation, control, payload operations, power management, communication, autonomy, and fault protection.
• Develop software for diverse mission payloads, including imaging systems, advanced sensors, and propulsion‑based maneuvers such as aero‑braking and lunar descent profiles.
• Write comprehensive unit, integration, and regression tests using existing frameworks to ensure robust, reliable, and verifiable flight code.
• Integrate and validate software across multiple environments, including high‑fidelity simulators, hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) testbeds, engineering development units (EDUs), and flight‑like spacecraft hardware.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, GNC, avionics, payload, and ground software teams to define software requirements, architecture, and interfaces.
• Participate in on‑orbit commissioning and support early operations of newly launched satellites, assisting in debugging, telemetry analysis, and software tuning.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of development processes, including CI/CD pipelines, coding standards, and documentation.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 2+ years of experience developing C++ applications for embedded, real‑time, or safety‑critical systems (Level II).
• Strong understanding of embedded software concepts such as memory management, concurrency, and real‑time constraints.
• Highly motivated, self‑directed, and able to operate effectively in a fast‑moving team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship with eligibility to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.

Additional Differentiators

• Hands‑on experience using A.R.M. and Texas Instruments embedded processors and associated development environments.
• Proficiency with Linux development workflows and GNU toolchains (Make, GCC, GDB, etc.).
• Experience with scripting languages such as Bash and Python for automation and tooling.
• Experience within the aerospace industry, particularly in satellite or space‑mission software development.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case‑by‑case and may vary based on the job‑related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!

Salary Range

$125,000 - $150,000 USD

Full‑time positions only:

Benefits

• 100% Company‑paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Education Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Parental Leave

About Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end‑to‑end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on‑orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time,